Abstract
The evolution of the law of universal gravitation is shown from the verbal formula proposed by Newton in 1687 to the present day. The law discovered by Newton FN ∝ mM/r^2 was not the exact law of gravitation. Newton only indicated the proportional dependence of force on masses and did not attribute any numerical value to the gravitational force. In an unfinished form, Newton's law FN ∝ mM/r^2 existed for almost 200 years (!) until the constant G appeared in it. But even in its modern formulation, Newton's law F = GMm/r^2 gives only a part of the force of universal gravitation. Newton's law does not work at large distances. Newton's law is not applicable on the scale of the Universe. The formula for Newton's law shows the force of gravitational interaction of only two bodies out of all N bodies in the Universe. The formula for the law describes gravitation only to one local source of attraction and does not take into account that bodies simultaneously gravitate to all other bodies. For more than 300 years, it has not been possible to derive a formula for the law of gravitation that would describe the gravitation to all bodies in the Universe. An obstacle on this path is the unsolved gravitational problem of N bodies. Here we provide a solution to this problem. .